Electric switch



AW@ 3U JL35 Y o. c. BRWSCH L ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed Dec. 25, 1951 Il Q Patented Apr. 30, 1935 UNITED .STATESv vAT ri orifice Henry Hyman,

Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application December 23, 1931, Serial No; v582,699`

9 Claims.

This invention relates toan electric switch that can be operated by a pull chain. The switch moves into its'open'position by snap action. The closed position is effected by a bridging member that bridges across the space between spring contacts. The switch may be enclosed in ay housing and installed, forV example, inside of a canopy.

The invention will be understood from the description in connection with the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a side View of the device showing a portion of a canopy; Fig. 2 is an end view with the housing removed; Fig. 8 is a section along the line 3-3 of Fig.Y 4; Fig. 4 is a side view with a member removed; Fig. 5 is a section along the line 5-5 of Fig. 4 with the switch in the closed position; Fig. 6 is a section similar to Fig. 5 with the switch inthe open position, and Fig; '7 is a sectional view showing a modification of somefof the parts.

In the drawing reference' character l indicates a housing for the switch, which'housing is merely indicated in dotted'lines. The switch'may be attached to a canopy 2, as most clearly indicated in Fig. 1. v

The switch comprisesside plates 3 and 4 of stiff insulating material, which plates may be oval-shaped as shown in Figs'. 1 and 4. Spaced metal plates 5 extend'across the space between 'the plates 3 and 4 `perpendicularto them. The spaced plates 5 constitute the legs of a U-shaped member 6 and the edges 'l of the member'i extend to the outer surface of the plates 3 and 4 as shown in Figs. 3 to 6. Projections 8 are'provided along the edges of the plates 5, which projections extend through slots in the plates 3 and 4.

Spaced metallic holding members 9 extend between the plates 3 and 4 and hold them in spaced relation against the edges of the plates 5. The ends of the holding members 9 are reduced, as

indicated at l0 leavingY shoulders-on the members 9. The reduced extending end portions lll project through openings in the plates 3 and 4 and terminate in screw Vthreaded portions il on which nuts I2 and washers I3 are placed toV hold the parts assembled togethen'or the ends of these members may be upset or riveted thereby-dispensing with the nuts and washers.

Binding screws I4 (Fig. 4) are screwed into the holding members 9 to retainthe ends of the electric wires l5. Spring contacts I6 have flat ends at right angles to the body portion of the spring contacts through which holes are, provided for the reduced portions of the holding members 9 to pass through. The flat ends of the spring contacts I6 are held in place between the shoulders on the holding members'S and the inside surfaces of the plate 4, and the shoulders at the other ends of the members 9 are pressed against the inside surfaces of the plate 3. The contacts I6 extend into the space between the plates-3 and 4 and have their ends il' bent toward each other (Figs.

metal strip 23 isv carried at the upper end of the plate 20 to bridge across the ends Il of the contacts 4I6.`

Ametal plate 25 is journalled in openings 21 i the plates 5 below the openings 2l. Pivots or extensions 23 are provided at the middle of the edges of the plate 25 for the holesZl, these pivots being preferably rounded, as shown in Figs. 3, 5 and 6. These pivots 28 may be made by bending the metal` forming the extensions.

The plate 26 is vbent back upon itself from one edge tothe middle thereof and thence at right angles to form the projection 29.' A pin 30 is pivoted on the projection 29, this pin 3U having an enlarged lower end with a,Y hole 39 therethrough with the metal on opposite sides of this hole extending through a hole 29 in the projection 29 as the pin 33 pivots on this projection.

The pin 39 is provided with a shoulder 3| against which one end of a compression coil spring 32 rests. The pin 39 extends into the lower open end of a metal cylinder 33, with the coil spring 32 extending around this cylinder and having its upper end resting against the outwardly flared upper end 3 of the cylinder 33. The pin 3D moves back and forth in the cylinder 33 as the switch moves back and forth. A slot f35 is provided in the plate 29 from its lower pivoted end, in which slot `the cylinder 33 is mounted with its flared end or ange 34 resting against the end of the slot 35. The diameter of the ilared end 34 of the cylinder 33 is greater than the width of the slot 35 at its upper end and notches 34 are provided in this flared end on opposite sides to receive the Vedges of the slot 35 or material of the plate 2! and thus keep the upper end of the r cylinder 33 in place and permit slight pivoting or tilting of the same in the slot 35.

A hollow threaded extension 49 extends through the base of the U-shaped member 6 and may be securely attached thereto by soldering, as

indicated at 39. The upper end 4| of the extension 4|] extends between the plates 3 and 4 and also between the plates 5 with opposite sides thereof beveled to provide stops for the plate 26. A transverse slit 42 is provided in the upper end of the extension 48 for a purpose to be described.

An annular shoulder 43 is provided in the extension 48 for the lower end of a compression spring 44. A strip-45 of thin metal is provided for operating4 the plate 25. The lower end 45 of the strip 45 is bent to form a spherical seat for the end ball of a pull chain of the well-known type and also to serve as a bearing against which the upper end of the compression spring 44 presses. The strip 45 extendsthroughV thelslit 42 and is provided with a rounded' head 41 'having shoulders on opposite sides ofthekstrip near the upper end thereof to catch the' `edges of the plate 25 and turn it when the chain is pulled. The Vpull chain 48 passes through the hollow eX- tension' 48 so that' it willfbe accessible for the operator. A clampnut 49 and lock nut 50" may bej provided upon the extension 48- to holdv the switch against the canopy 2.

The operationA is as follows: v v

When the switch is in the position shown in Figs. 2 to 5 the circuit is closed from one of` the electricv wires; I5 through Yone ofthe holding members Sl, spring contact I6, metal bridging member 23, the other spring contact I6, 'the' other member-9 to the other wire I5. In this position the upper end or rounded head 41 ofthe strip 45 extendsbeyond the left-hand edge (Fig. of the pivoted plate 26 with one of the shoulders Iat-the head extending over the edge of thisplate.V A

.pull on the chain 48 turns' the plate 26 in an anti-v clockwise direction. (Fig. 5.) 'Ihe movement of the plate 26'land extension 2.9 in the antiiclockwise direction compresses the spring k32 and causes the pin'- 30-to move inwardly the Ycylinder 33'; A's soon as the pivot point between thelower end of the pin 3l! and the extension 29 passes'beynd the dead-center inthe planepassing through-the center of the upper end of the cylinder 33 and thepiv'ots 2'8` the' spring expands' and causes the plate 2Q to turn clockwise about its pivots 22'in'to the position shown in Fig, thus opening the ciricuit as the bridging member 23 moves away from the ends I1 with a snap action.v j The limit o'f movement ofthe plate 25' in opposite directions may be determined either by the sides of the extensions 22A striking edges of the opening 2| or by the upper end of the plate 20 or bridging member 23 striking the inside surfaces of the plates 3 and-4, respectively. Y.

The downward pull on the chain 43 turns the plate V26 as' described. When the left-hand edge of this' plate descends a certain distance the shoulder at the head 41 of the strip' 25' slides olf of the edge of the plate 2S. Further downward pull on the chain 48 carries the headl 41 below the lowermost edge of the plate 26 and the strip Q5 assumes a. vertical position `or a position' to cause the head 41 to be to the right of the left'- hand'edge of the plate 25. This maybe produced, for example, either by the left-hand edge o f the strip 45 striking the lower end of theslit 42, or by Yhaving aV stop such as an annular shoulder along the inside surfaces of the opening in the etension 48. In the illustrative embodiment of the invention the convolutions of the spring 44 lie against eachother in thegfurthermost downward position of the strip 45 and operate as a stop or fulcrum to turn the strip 45 to its vertical slide off of either one ofA them. j

position when its edge strikes the upper surface of the uppermost spring convolution.

When the tension is released from the chain 48 the spring 44 projects the strip 45 upwardly in a vertical direction causing its rounded head to slide upwardly toward the rright along the lower side of the plate 26 until the head 41 passes beyond the other edge of the plate 26, as shown in Fig. (i and the other shoulder on this strip extends over this edge preparatory ,to moving'it downwardly when tension is again applied to the chain 48. A pull on the chain 48 with the parts in the position shown in Fig. 6 tilts the plate 28 to" close the switch in a manner similar to that already described for opening it.

u In the modification shown in Fig. l7, a. hollow plug I5| is inserted into the lower end of the hollow extension 40. It may be a split plug and held in position by friction or it may be a screw plug. The rim 52 thereof contacts with the end ofthe extension 40 and the annular shoulder 53 inside the plug 5| servesuas a stop for thelowr calposition. The operation is similarto that already described. Y

I claim:

1. In an electric switch, aplat'ev journalled at its ends, a projection at its middle portion, an elongated plate operating member having an en"- larged head at its end, and means for-'reciprocating said member and causing oppositesidesot its head to contact with opposite edges ol'.l said plate. at successive reciprocations..

2. In an. electric switch, a plate. journalledlat its ends; aprojectionV at its middle portion; an elongated plateoperatingmember having shoulders to engage opposite edges of said plateV alternately, and means to causes'aid shoulders to'move across said plate from one` edge thereof-.tothe other.l

3. In an electric switch, a plate journalled at its ends, a projection .at itsv middle portion',.an elongated plate operating member having shoulders to engage opposite edges ofv said platealternately tooperate said plate by pulling" it.. and means to cause said shoulders to'slide oil" of said edges'when said plate has beengturned'to certain positions.V .Y

4. In an electric switch, a plate-journalled at its ends, a projection at its middle0 portion, an elongated plate operating member'havingshou'lders to engage opposite edges of said plate al:- ternately, means to cause said shoulders to slide off of said edges when said plate hasbeen turned to certain'. positions, and means `tocause said shoulders to move tov the other edge when they 5. In an electric switch, a. plate, journalled at its ends, a projection atitsmiddle portion, amr

.elongated plate operatingmember having shoulders toengage opposite edges of said plate alternately,means to cause said shoulders'to slideoil' of said edges whenv said plate has been turned. to certain positions, and means to cause said plate to snap into positions.

6. In an electric switch, a plate journalled at its ends, a projection at its; middle portion,a-;an elongated plate operating member having an enlarged head, means for reciprocating said member and ,causing opposite sides of its headto--contact with opposite edges of said Yplate at successive reciprocations, and means to cause said mem'- ber to extend in the direction of its reciprocation when it reaches one extreme of its movement.

7. In an electric switch, a pair of spaced plates of insulating material, and a U-shaped member of at metal between said plates with its edges contacting with the facing sides of said insulating plates, the edges Vof the bight of said U-shaped member extending outwardly beyond the facing sides of said insulating members.

8. In an electric switch, a pair of spaced plates of insulating material, a U-shaped member of fiat metal between said plates with its edges contacting with the facing sides of said insulating plates, the edges of the bight of said U-shaped member extending outwardly beyond the facingV sides of said insulating members, a` contact bridging member and an operating member for said contact bridging member carried by said U -shaped member.

9. In an electric switch, a pair of spaced plates of insulating material, a U-shaped member of flat metal between said plates with its edges contacting with the facing sides of said insulating plates, the edges of the bight of said Unshaped member extending outwardly beyond the facing sides of said `insulating members, a contact bridging member, an operating member for said contact bridging member carried by said U-shaped member, transverse retaining members for said insulating plates, and contacts supported on said transverse members.

OTTO C. BRITSCH. 

